'The people of Whitby are incredible,' say parents after donor swab event to help their son

“The people of Whitby, and beyond, are truly incredible” - that was the message from the parents of Peter McCleave, following an event organised to try and find him a matching donor.

More than 300 people turned up at the Fitness Machine gym on Silver Street to be swabbed, with over £2,000 also raised for the blood cancer charity DKMS.

Peter McCleave and his sons Max, 7, and Seb, 5.

Pete is battling multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells and needs to find a matching donor to help save his life.

Mum, June McCleave said: “The word thank you isn’t enough. There are no words to express how Mike [Pete’s dad] and I feel about that day. In evidence, on Friday, was genuine goodness and kindness, care and consideration, at work. We were overwhelmed and it was the people of Whitby who did it. Very special people.

"We would, however, like to say a big thank you to Claire and Ian, at the gym, all who helped with the swabs, all who donated a prize or cake and everyone who provided a swab, at the event or directly with DKMS, the amazing Sam Jones, who published the article, in the Gazette, at very short notice and Yorkshire Coast Radio for allowing us to promote our event in an interview.”

Representatives from DKMS, who coordinated the event, told Mike and June that the event in Whitby had been the very best, so far, this year for them, including some big ones in London.

Mrs McCleave added: "At the end of the day this is about our son and other cancer sufferers. We will continue to try to find a donor and there will be other events and, of course, contacting DKMS directly is an option. As parents, you never give up, whatever it takes."

Peter McCleave is a 40-year-old former Eskdale School pupil, who is a father to two young boys.

Efforts are being made to find him a matching donor to help him fight the blood cancer.